Player-piano action



H. R.. HELLER.

PLAYER PIANO ACTION.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 10, I919.

' -Patented Dec. 27, 1921.

'INVENTOR 7 7?. 'HeZZer.

0-1 -ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT orifice.

HENRY R. HELLER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO WINTER & (10., ACOR-PORZb TION OF NFJKT YORK.

PLAYER-PIANO ACTION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 27, 1921.

Application filed December 10, 1919. Serial No. 343,737.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY R. HELLER, a

citizen of the United States, residing at New York city, in the countyof Bronx and State or" New York, have invented. certain new and usefulImprovements in Player-Piano Actions, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.My invention relates to improvements in player piano actions, and moreparticularly has reference to an attachment in combination with anordinary piano action for adapting the same for use with a player pianoattachment, one of the objects being to provide an action attachmentwhich will facilitate the introduction and removal of the bank OI playerpneumatics with convenience and facility and without interfering withthe operation of the piano action.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, I have illustrated in Figure 1 inend view partsbeing broken away and partly in crosssection, part of aplayer piano action embodying an application of my invention.

2 indicates the sticker or abstract of the ordinary piano action, and 3a fixed rail thereof to which may be secured depending lugs or bracketssuch as 4 in which may be pivoted the connecting lever 5 as indicated at6, the outer end of said lever being pivoted in the abstract or sticker2 as indicated at 7, the lower end of said sticker being provided withan offset 8 which may be provided with an adjustable stop 9 forengagement by the key 10.

11 indicates the usual player pneumatics each of which may be providedwith a bracket or extension 12 and a wire connection 13 which may bebent inwardly as inclicatecl at 14 and provided with a plunger or button15 adapted to slide through the socket 16 for engaging the lever 17 asshown, said lever being pivoted to the lever 5 at 18 and being providedat the bottom with a lug 19 through which the adjustable stop 20 may beadjusted. 21 indicates another adjustable stop upon the bar 3 adapted tocontrol the movement of the lever 5.

In operation, when the key 10 is struck the piano action responds in theusual manner, the connecting '11k 5 operating independently of theoperation of the pneumatic action. lVhen the piano is playedpneumatically the pneumatic 11 depresses the wire or rod 13 which byvirtue of the bend 14 is rendered resilient thereby imparting a humantouch to the lever 17 through the' medium of the plunger 15 and saidlever 17 being pivotally mounted l8 strikes the heel 22 of the lever 5pivoted at G and 7 thereby lifting the abstract or sticker 2 accordingto the adjustments of the stops l9-21. lVhen out of operation the lever17 may be thrown vertically upwardly in the position shown in dottedoutline. When the pneumatic action is to be introduced, the levers 17are thrown down and when the action has been placed in position,everything is in readiness for playing pneumatically.

From the foregoing it will be readily seen that every possible desirableadjustment can be quickly and conveniently made and the player actionmay be introduced and removed expeditiously and conveniently withoutinterference with any of the movable parts of the piano and the variousadjustments are such that they can be readily attended to withoutinconvenience.

Of course it will be understood that various modifications may be madein the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from thespirit of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. In combination with the piano action of a player piano, a linkconnecting the sticker to a fixed rail thereof, a lever pivotallyconnected to said link, a pneumatic and a plunger operated by the saidpneumatic adapted to operate said lever.

2. In combination with the piano action of a player piano, a linkconnecting the sticker to a fixed rail thereof, a lever pivotally connected to said link, a pneumatic, a plunger operated by the saidpneumatic adapted to operate said lever, and in combination therewithmeans for adjusting the movement of said link and said lever.

3. In combination with the piano action of a player piano, a linkconnecting the sticker to a fixed rail thereof, a lever pivotallyconnected to said link, a pneumatic, a

plunger operated by the said pneumatic adapted to operate said lever,said plunger provided with a connecting rod bent so as to provide aresilient thrust'thereby.

4. In combination with the piano action 5 of: a player piano, a linkconnecting the sticker to the fixed rail thereof, a lever piv otallyconnected to said link, a pneumatic,

a plunger operated by said pneumatic adapted to operate said lever, andan adjustable stop between said linkandsaid lever. V 1 0 In testimonywhereof I hereunto affix my signature.

HENRY R. HELLER;

